UNCLASSIFIED
156
012616
MDLIAN 4022
UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 2959
OF 240452Z DECEMBER 92
ailz
ра
RECI
BY
-7 JAN 1992
INCL
„Ken
TOP COPY Q DIST?
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, WASHINGTON
CLINTON'S REMARKS ON HONG KONG: LOCAL REACTION: PRESS REPORTS
1. THE LOCAL MEDIA CARRIED EXTENSIVELY REMARKS BY US PRESIDENT ELECT, BILL CLINTON, THAT CHINA'S HUGE TRADE SURPLUS WITH THE US SHOULD GIVE THE LATTER SOME GROUND FOR SERIOUS DISCUSSION ABOUT FREEDOM IN HONG KONG. INITIAL LOCAL REACTIONS ARE GENERALLY ONE OF CAUTION. ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS, THE GENERAL VIEW OF LEGCO MEMBERS AND THE BUSINESS SECTOR WAS THAT IT WOULD BE UNWISE FOR THE US TO INTERVENE IN HONG KONG AFFAIRS AND THAT POLITICAL ISSUES SHOULD NOT BE MIXED WITH ECONOMIC ISSUES. MARTIN LEE WAS REPORTED TO HAVE SAID THAT MR CLINTON'S REMARKS WAS A MATTER BETWEEN CHINA AND THE US AND HONG KONG PEOPLE SHOULD FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY THEMSELVES.
2. A FEW LOCAL NEWSPAPERS COMMENTS ON MR CLINTON'S REMARKS. TODAY. IN GENERAL THEY SHARED THE VIEW THAT US INTERVENTION INTO HONG KONG AFFAIRS WOULD ANTAGONISE CHINA AND WOULD NOT BE CONDUCTIVE TO HONG KONG'S POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC INTERESTS. THE HONG KONG ECONOMIC TIMES POINTED OUT THAT PRESSURE FROM THE US ON HONG KONG ISSUES COULD PROMPT CHINA TO TAKE THE QUESTION OF OUR POLITICAL REFORMS AS A KEY BATTLE AGAINST AN INTERNATIONAL CONSPIRACY. THE HK DAILY NEWS URGED THAT THE SINO-BRITISH ROW SHOULD BE RESOLVED ONLY BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES.
3. WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY COMMENTS IN THE PRO-CHINA MEDIA HERE SO FAR.
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